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# crave

verb (crave, craves, craved, craving)

«crave» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To crave something is to want it very strongly, so that it is hard to think about anything else. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crave/#m1)
2. (old, formal) To crave something is to ask for it humbly: «I crave your pardon». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crave/#m2)

### In the lessons

In health lessons, people may crave sugar or salty food; a craving is a strong wish. In stories, a lonely character craves friendship, a proud one craves attention. In old stories and the Bible, a person «craves» a favour from a king.

### Examples

- After the long walk, I craved a cold drink. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crave/#x1)
- Toad craved excitement and fast cars. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crave/#x2)
- Babies crave attention and comfort. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crave/#x3)
- «I crave your pardon, my lord.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crave/#x4)
- She craved a quiet moment alone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crave/#x5)
- Some people crave chocolate when they are tired. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crave/#x6)
- At last Hook had got the boon for which he craved. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crave/#x7)

### Note

Regular verb. Noun: a craving. Stronger than «want» or «would like».

## In Jewish tradition

It means to want strongly. In the Psalm, the Israelites in the wilderness demanded food and God gave them what they wanted.

**Interpretation.** The tradition reads this as a warning about complaining and testing God. Getting what you crave can be a punishment.

### Examples

- So they did eat, and were well filled; and He gave them that which they craved. (Writings PSA.78.29, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/crave/#x1)

### Note

Regular verb. Noun: a craving. Stronger than «want» or «would like».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «crave» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crave/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«crave» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/crave.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «crave» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/C/crave/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«crave» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/crave.html) on Mova free.